Culture and the Wiki (Post #1)

Article - College 2.0: Wiki Project Brings Some Student Wariness at Singapore Management U

In the push to expand technological capabilities, some school personnel are learning an important lesson .... Culture Matters and can impact technological receptiveness. In an interesting article, College 2.0 writer, Jeff Young reports that a number of 1st year students at Singapore's Management University were wary of using the Web 2.0 technology, the Wiki, after learning that they would be able to edit the writings of their fellow classmates. Many students felt that the idea of the wiki could lead to the cultural notion of "losing face." Two Asian students made the following statements:

• "Its dangerous, actually, I can change everything that others have done."

• "It's a very Asia context. You have to be more aware of others and have sensitivity to others."  

Jason Woodard, Assistant Professor of Information Systems followed up the students commentary by noting: "People were very reluctant to edit things that other people posted, I guess out of deference. People were very careful to not want to edit their peers. Getting  people out of that mind-set has been a real challenge."

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Any Thoughts?